Nightmares

Hello, everyone. This prompt was suggested by Sliena Natasha. Enjoy.

Screaming. Crosshair sat up and looked around the room. He heard screaming and yelling coming from one of the other bunks. He sat up and saw that it was Hunter. He walked over and winced as the lights turned on. Hunter screamed and sat up looking around with wide eyes. He was breathing heavily and he was covered in sweat.

"Hunter, it's ok. It's just me. It's Crosshair." Crosshair hushed. He placed his hand on Hunter's chest and Hunter gasped and relaxed. Tech and Wrecker walked over and let Crosshair handle Hunter. "It's ok, Hunter."

Crosshair sat beside Hunter and pulled Hunter close. Hunter sat there shaking in fear. He didn't respond to Crosshair.

"Let's lie down and try to sleep," Crosshair suggested.

"NO! NO! I don't want to sleep. I don't want them to hurt me!" Hunter screamed.

"I won't let them hurt you, Hunter. I promise. We won't let them anywhere near you."

Hunter wrapped his arms around Crosshair and buried his face into Crosshair's neck.

"What do you need?" Crosshair wondered.

"I want it to stop. I want to be normal. I want to go as far away from here as possible." Hunter replied.

"We will one day. After the war, we'll be free. What can we do to help you tonight?"

"Hold me. Don't leave me."

"We won't."

Wrecker grabbed his Lula while Tech grabbed their pillows, blankets, and a cup of water. He gave the cup to Crosshair who gave it to Hunter. Hunter took a sip and Crosshair put the cup to the side. Wrecker sat on the bed and held out his Lula.

"Here, Lula always helps me. Maybe she can help you." Wrecker suggested. Hunter took Wrecker and smiled.

Tech placed the pillows around the bed and placed the blankets around. He sat on the bed and the four got comfortable. HUnter sat in the corner in Crosshair's arms. Tech had his upper body against Hunter's legs while Wrecker leaned against Crosshair. Crosshair grabbed Hunter's blanket and wrapped it around him so that he felt safe. Tech grabbed the other two blankets and laid them across the four of them. One covered Tech and Hunter while the other covered Crosshair and Wrecker. The brothers sat in silence waiting for Hunter to fall asleep. It wasn't long before sleep claimed the four.

The batch had come home from a mission. All of them were bone-tired. Echo had only been with the batch for a few missions and he already felt at home with them. He took a shower and then laid down in his hammock. He watched and listened as the rest of his brothers changed and got ready for bed.

"Come on, Tech. You take longer than I do." Hunter huffed.

"You were the one that said I stunk," Tech replied.

"You always stink. Even when you're clean you stink. Now, hurry up. I have a headache."

"Fine."

Tech walked out and huffed at Hunter.

"There, I'm all done." Tech huffed. Hunter walked in and it wasn't long before he came out drying his hair with a towel. The brothers finished their reports and then laid down to go to sleep.

A few hours later, Echo woke with a start. He heard screaming and he looked around the dark room, but couldn't see anything. He heard someone climb out of their bunk and walk across the room. The lights turned on and Echo saw Crosshair kneeling in front of Hunter with his hands on Hunter's shoulders. Echo walked over and looked between Tech and Wrecker.

"You're alright, Hunter. You're safe. We're all here." Crosshair hushed as he climbed into the bunk beside Hunter.

"Does this happen often?" Echo wondered quietly.

"Every time we're here or after a rough mission. Hunter's mind tends to be overloaded most of the time. Sleep helps his body recover, but it doesn't always help his mind. Being here... we all have trauma here, but Hunter's was the most intense. Only my mind was tested. Only Wrecker's strength was tested. Only Crosshair's eyes were tested, but Hunter... they tested his sight, his hearing, his sense of smell, touch, taste, and pain. They tested how long he could hold out and then they took it all away from him only to overwhelm him again. Hunter hasn't told us half of what happens in those stupid tests of the Kaminoans." Tech explained.

They looked at Crosshair and Hunter. Hunter was completely numb and it concerned the others. Wrecker grabbed his Lula while Tech grabbed the blankets and pillows. Crosshair tried to convince Hunter to drink, but he wouldn't. Echo watched his brothers go into action taking their places beside their distressed brother. Echo walked over and placed his hand on Hunter's shoulder. HUnter looked at Echo and Echo smiled softly.

"When I was with the Techno Union, they would test all of my senses. They wanted to see the Kaminoans' handiwork. My days were often filled with pain and I often felt overwhelmed. I know it's nothing compared to how you feel, but... I know how terrified you are. You want to forget it all. You want to run away from it, but it wouldn't help. You all have helped me. How can I help you?" Echo explained.

"Stay." Hunter croaked. Echo looked and saw that a space had been made for him beside Hunter. Tech moved out of the way so Echo could climb into his spot and then he moved back. Echo watched as the brothers sat in silence. It wasn't long before Hunter was asleep. Echo smiled as he watched the rest fall asleep.

No one knew what to do. Hunter was caught in a night terror and none of them knew what to do. Crosshair always knew, but he wasn't here. Omega watched as her brothers tried to comfort Hunter to no avail. Instead, he would grow worse. Omega could see how torn they were and she looked at Hunter who had fallen onto the floor and was curled up in a ball. She knelt beside Hunter and laid her hand on his back.

"We can't wake him. He has to go through this." Omega stated.

"Crosshair always knew what to do. He could calm Hunter." Tech whispered.

Several minutes later, Hunter screamed and looked around. Omega laid her hands on Hunter's shoulders. Hunter looked at her in confusion and then his face fell.

"Let's get you back to bed," Omega suggested.

"No," Hunter replied.

"Ok."

Omega hugged Hunter and HUnter began to cry.

"I miss him." Hunter rasped. "I can't... it's too much."

"I know. I've had nightmares and even night terrors. It's never easy." Omega answered.

Wrecker grabbed Lula while Tech grabbed the pillows and blankets. Echo grabbed a canteen of water and something to soothe Hunter's throat.

"You'll lose your voice if you don't take something." Echo warned.

Hunter took the medication and Tech made a bed of pillows, blankets, and everything else that was soft. Wrecker leaned back against the wall and pulled Hunter close. Omega wrapped her arms around HUnter's waist and rested her head on his lap. Tech took his position while Echo sat in front of Wrecker and rest his upper body on Wrecker's legs. Tech and Echo covered them in blankets and they all sat wishing that Crosshair was there. Omega tried to stay awake, but couldn't. Eventually, one by one the brothers fell asleep till Hunter was the only one still awake. His heart and mind were far too heavy for him to sleep. He knew that his family was trying to help him, but there was something about Crosshair. He missed his brother.

Crosshair woke to screaming and he rushed out of his bedroom. He saw his brothers and sister looking at Hunter's door.

"Is it a nightmare?" Omega wondered.

"No, it's a night terror. It's always been night terrors." Crosshair sighed. They heard something break and they rushed inside. Hunter was lying on the floor thrashing and trying to hide from an unseen force. Crosshair walked over and pulled Hunter into his arms. Hunter fought against Crosshair for a moment and then he began to relax. He whimpered as Omega walked over and examined his hands.

"He must have cut them when he broke the window," Omega whispered as she looked at the window. Echo grabbed the medkit and helped Omega treat Hunter's hands. While the two worked, Crosshair did his best to keep Hunter asleep.

"It's a miracle he ever sleeps." Echo sighed.

"Since our escape, they've become worse." Crosshair answered. "After what he's been through, I'm surprised it's not worse."

When Omega and Echo were done, they saw that Wrecker and Tech were already waiting on Hunter's bed. Crosshair felt Hunter stir and he knew that Hunter was awake. Crosshair stood up and helped Hunter back to bed. Echo and Omega sat on the bed and they all got comfortable.

"Hurts." Hunter croaked.

"YOu injured your hands when you broke the window," Tech replied. Hunter looked at the window and then closed his eyes.

"I want to forget. I want to forget those 83 days of torture."

Crosshair pulled Hunter closer and Hunter relaxed and closed his eyes.

"We're here, Hunter. You're safe. We're safe. No one can hurt us." Crosshair assured. Hunter murmured something in mando'a and Crosshair chuckled. "Go back to sleep, Hunter."

Omega moved so that she was practically sitting on Hunter's lap. Hunter smiled and laid a hand on her shoulder. It didn't take long for Hunter and Omega to fall asleep. Shortly after, the others fell asleep.

THE END

The last segment kind of ties in with Whatever It Takes.